Historically, interactive systems have been created to enable users to exchange information with service providers. After the Internet became more accessible to the public, interactive systems blossomed out in the Internet, e.g., in the forms of web-based interactive information systems, chatbots, interactive online games, etc.
Interactive voice response (IVR) is a technology widely used even before the Internet era for interactive systems, particularly for customer services or customer relationship management (CRM). IVR allows a user to interact with a computer through the use of natural voice and/or dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) tones input via telephone keypad. Via the IVR dialogue, users can interact with IVR systems for information retrieval (e.g., to retrieve travel information, weather conditions), transactions (e.g., banking, purchasing), etc.
Today, users may have to navigate an IVR system first to acquire assistance from a live person to resolve complex issues. Some IVR systems are intricate for users to navigate, e.g., due to non-intuitive menu design. On the other hand, it is quite often that a user may have to wait on the line for a period of time until they can be connected to a representative. As an example, when calling for customer services, one may frequently encounter the pre-recorded message, such as “due to unusually high call volume, you may encounter longer wait times,” even after successfully going through multiple states of the IVR system. Thus, although it is a useful technology for businesses, IVR has nonetheless become an obstacle to many users.